State health officials urge tick precautions

April 22, 2006|Tribune Staff Report

Warmer weather is drawing Hoosiers outdoors, which means they may encounter disease-carrying ticks. So state health officials are recommending that they take precautions. Ticks may carry Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, or ehrlichiosis. "Ticks become active as soon as the weather begins to warm up," said James Howell, a veterinary epidemiologist at the Indiana State Department of Health. Each year, Indiana has an average of 21 cases of Lyme disease, five cases of Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and two cases of ehrlichiosis. Ticks need to be attached for up to 12 hours before they can infect an individual. Health officials recommend that people going to grassy or wooded areas where ticks are often present wear a long-sleeved shirt and light-colored pants, with the shirt tucked in at the waist and the pants tucked into socks. The use of repellents provides even more protection. Howell says that insect repellents containing DEET or picaridin can be sprayed on both skin and clothing following label directions to repel ticks and other insects. People who expect to be exposed to tick habitat for extended time can use products containing permethrin, which can be used on clothing. Howell recommends checking your clothes and skin for ticks after leaving a grassy or wooded area. "If a tick is attached to your skin, it can be removed with either tweezers or forceps by grasping the tick as close to the skin as possible," Howell said. "Ticks should not be removed with your bare fingers, but if tweezers or forceps are not available, you can use tissue paper or a paper towel to prevent the passing of any possible infection."